1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to body exercising equipment and more particularly to an exercise bench of the type used in the performance of free weight or barbell type exercises.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Various types of exercise benches have been manufactured in the past. Common to these types of devices is a pair of spaced apart vertical standards including cradle-like supports adapted to support the free weights when they are not in use and an interconnected supporting frame designed to support a planar bench upon which the trainee positions himself while lifting the weights from the supporting standards.
In lifting the weights, the trainee normally lies on his back on the bench so that his upper body is positioned between the vertical standards and below the weights at rest thereon. In this position the trainee lifts the weights from the cradle and then commences the exercise cycle which consists of raising and lowering the weights by alternately bending and straightening the arms.
In some prior art devices the bench is designed so that the forward position thereof may be raised to a sloping position relative to the supporting frame. However, when the bench is in this position the trainee safely lift the weights while leaning his back against the elevated portion because his shoulders and arms are positioned too far forwardly of the supporting standards.
Another substantial drawback of the design of prior art benches of the class described resides in the fact that when the trainee is lying on his back lifting the weights, the cradle supports which support the weights are located substantially above him. This means that after the last lifting cycle the trainee must make one final exertion to lift the weights and replace them within the support cradles. Typically, after the last lifting cycle the trainee is very fatigued and may have difficulty in replacing the weights on the supporting cradles. At this point the trainee is highly susceptible to serious injury caused by dropping the weights on his head or upper body while trying to replace them on the support cradle.
The novel bench of the present invention uniquely overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art exercising benches by providing a bench which permits the trainee to face the weights while in a seated position with his upper body being positioned between the weights and the seat back. This enables the trainee to maintain complete control of the weights at all times and to safely replace the weights within the supporting cradles on the final exercise cycle as the weights are being lowered. Since the trainee is facing the weight supporting standards in a seated position, the supporting cradles are located at a height which is convenient for replacing the weights during the downward movement of the weights. Accordingly, risk of dropping the weights at the end of the exercise program is considerably reduced and injury to the trainee is substantially avoided.